Interview: Andy Bell from Ride
Seminal shoegaze legends Ride are in the midst of their first Australia/NZ headline tour in over 25 years. We grabbed a quick chat with Andy Bell:
Andy! How are you feeling? How’s your day, what have you been up to?
Hi! I’m feeling pretty good thanks. We travelled from Surfers Paradise to Brisbane, where we are playing tonight. You really feel the heat when there is no sea breeze. Must be brutal in summer. I’ve been for a wander around town, been to the barbers and had some lunch. Got some interviews to do and then we’ll do our soundcheck.
Tell us about your fantastic new album This Is Not a Safe Place…
It’s the second album since we came back. Same production team and studios, pretty much. It’s an album that came together much faster than the last one. It will be better live I think.
Which tracks from it do you perceive to be live favourites?
For sure “Kill Switch” has been a live favourite so far, and “Future Love” is one of the best songs we’ve put out, but also I think “Jump Jet” has taken on a new life since we started playing it. I’m also looking forward to playing “Fifteen Minutes”
How’s the touring been going?
It’s very early days. The album came out a couple of weeks ago. We are still feeling our way through the new songs. But so far so good.
So, Ride are often associated with, or credited for being one of the formative bands within, the shoegaze scene. How do you feel about being tarred with that dreamy, dozy, fluffy brush – and does the genre ‘shoegaze’ accurately describe your music or the messages you’re trying to communicate or landscapes you’re trying to convey to your audience?
I have no issues with the term shoegaze! Although I think only about a quarter of what we do fits that term.
Since your band’s forming, the shoegaze sound and scene has evolved over the past few decades and captured the hearts of many listeners worldwide, resurging to popular form most notably over the last couple of years. Do you have any idea why that is, and what do you think of the state of the scene at the minute – and are there any bands you favour?
There are loads of amazing bands out there working with a similar palette of guitar sounds, I seem to hear a new one every week.
What other bands or musicians do you admire, and why?
Neil Young is right up there for me. He’s still so fucking punk rock.
Will you be making more music at the end of this tour?
I’d like to think so, and there’s no reason why we wouldn’t!
How do you like to fill your time? What’s your favourite hobby?
My family life is really important to me, my wife Shiarra and I have two young kids, and I also have two older kids living in Sweden who I try and see as well. I just like being with all of them. Hobbies – I don’t know, music is a hobby I get paid to do.
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If you’re quick, you can still catch Ride before the end of their tour at the following venues. Tickets here.
Thursday 5th September – Forum, Melbourne
Friday 6th September – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Interview by Cherry Anna Brearley
